US sales of previously occupied homes up in April

Americans bought more previously owned homes in April, a hopeful sign that the weak housing market is gradually improving.

The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that home sales rose 3.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million.

Home sales have rebounded after falling in March and are near the pace from January and February, which was the best winter for sales in five years. Still, sales are well below the nearly 6 million per year that economists equate with healthy markets.